Outpatient facts & stats

Question 1

About how many physician office visits were made in the US in 2019?

Accepted Answer

1.0 billion visits. That works out to more than three visits per person that year, on average.

Question 2

In 2024, what share of US children had seen a doctor or health professional in the past year?

Accepted Answer

95.1%. Children see a doctor at a higher rate than adults, largely due to routine checkups.

Question 3

In 2011, about how many procedures were performed each year across US ambulatory surgery centers?

Accepted Answer

more than 23 million. These procedures were spread across more than 5,300 surgery centers nationwide.

Question 4

In Medicare-funded ambulatory surgery centers in 2016, which was the single most common procedure?

Accepted Answer

cataract surgery with a lens, 18.7% of procedures. Cataract surgery is one of the most common outpatient procedures for older adults.

The basics